Overcoming these copycats

Welcome to Episode 3 of the Her Digital Empire podcast!

Today we will be talking about how to deal with copycats while running a small business. 

There are so many types of copycats, whether it’s people who steal your products and work, or copy your sales tactics, or even someone really trying to take you down by saying that you are copying them and sending you copyright infringement notices.

We will also talk a little bit about the graphic design business. 

The first thing I think about with copycats is all the anxiety that comes with any of these situations. 

It can be super overwhelming, feeling like someone is stepping into your personal bubble. 

It’s like having your car broken into, it’s stressful.

Something I have noticed personally is seeing my designs up on other websites like aliexpress, fiverr, even other sellers on Etsy. 

It can be difficult to navigate through if they actually stole your design or if they are just similar, and we will talk more about that later.

One of the biggest things people talk about is copyright infringement, and I believe every business deals with this, even large companies like versace, and Gucci.

Even “Velcro” is copyrighted, the material Velcro, you cannot say Velcro in anything.

Bride is also copyrighted, you can’t put the word “Bride” on just anything or the person who owns that copyright can take you down for that.

 

A lot of the time people don’t even realise and they don’t do it on purpose, you know maybe when you are just starting out and you are willing to do whatever it takes, maybe you don’t read all of the copyrights.

It’s an honest mistake, and it is totally understandable. I understand because I’ve made this mistake.

When I was first starting out I purchased some stock models, and didn’t realize I couldn’t resell those stock models, so I got called out because I would have needed a separate license for that. 

There is definitely a learning curve, and being the person on the other end being stolen from or stealing, I think it’s stressful.

The first thing is to get into a game-plan mode, take five minutes and do what you want to deal with it, and then move forward.

Figure out what you are going to do, and it may be more than one step. 

Make sure you are reading all of your licensing, so you can make sure to do the right thing.

You can find a concept that’s already working and make it original, make it better, make it work for you.

This is where a kind of grey zone is, where people think you are stealing.

With my business, my resolution with that is to ignore it, and move on. I also think volume, volume, volume, to the point where I don’t even need to worry.

A company I like to talk about is Walmart and Amazon. They both love to crush small businesses, they have so many products they don’t care about copying. 

I get upset when people copy me, but it makes me realize that the product is doing really well for me. 

Popsockets, the thing people hold their phones with, are actually copyrighted, and china will make tons of these, but little do people know, you cannot resell those. The copyright holder will take you down, I have seen it lots on Etsy.

I think it is not smart to put all your eggs in one basket, and you don’t want something like that to take you down. 

If that’s all you have, to feed your family, and a big business can match your prices then that’s not going to work. 

Invest in several businesses, so if something happens, you won’t lose 100% of your income. 

It’s important to not rely on the big websites like Etsy, Ebay, Fiverr, because you don’t own the store on their website. It is important to have your own website or wordpress to have all your products available. 

Bottom line is, you can save yourself from the amount of stress by being diversified.

Even though you may have to work extra on scheduling and planning, it will save you from a ton of stress if people copy you.

Copiers will never go away so we must learn the best way to handle them.

One of amazon’s models, is they watch what’s hot, what’s selling well, and then they make a similar version and sell it as amazon and they crush that small business. 

In one of my groups, someone was complaining that she feels hopeless and defeated because of a fear she created in her head, and stress. Maybe you can change your company policies and figure out what works best for you.

Don’t get in your own way with a negative mindset.

I can cry and whine all I want about the copycats, but it doesn’t matter, because it’s not going to take me out of the game.

The only thing that is going to keep you from winning, is quitting.

Nothing will push me out of my business, copiers, businesses like etsy, nothing will stop me.

The only thing that should stop you is if the concept is just not working. If you aren’t seeing progress and no customers, then it’s time to move on.

If you are in first place then the only competitor you have is yourself, anyone behind you will be copying the business models that work.

It doesn’t matter who’s copying you, your pricing -push out those copyright infringements- but it doesn’t matter, because you need to keep pushing your own business forward.

Something I remind myself a lot is that some of these people don’t know, they aren’t trying to get to you, they aren’t trying to hurt you.

It is okay to assume that a person does have good intentions, and it can turn into something positive. 

My opinion is there are more good people than bad people and you don’t need to feel like you need to tear others down.

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Have a great day!